The present invention is a modular multi-tap electrical connector assembly for quick connection and disconnection of a plurality of wires/cables. In particular, the present invention relates to a modular multi-tap electrical connector assembly that can be used for quick connection and disconnection of a plurality of different size wires/cables in a limited space.
Many wiring applications require numerous connections to be made in a relatively limited amount of space. A wide variety of terminal blocks and connectors have been developed for such applications and they are very useful for small gauge wires. However, larger gauge wires and cables require more space and present a variety of problems in applications where the space is limited. One of the problems is that larger wires and cables have larger bend radii which makes it difficult when they have to bent in order to connect them to a terminal.
Most of the connectors now in use make a straight line connection between the electrical wire/cable and the electrical device to which they are terminated. However, for some applications, a straight line connection cannot be used and the wire/cable needs to be introduced at some angle (typically up to 90°) to the electrical device. Quite often, the wires/cables are bent in order to make such a connection. Bending large diameter wires/cable in this manner may cause the insulation around the wire/cable to crack or break which can lead to problems due to insufficient insulation covering the cable.
One solution to this problem is to cast a right angle (or any other desired angle) connector for making such transition in the connector itself. However, this requires an individually cast part to be formed for each specific application. Another solution uses right angle electrical contacts in electrical connector housings to make right angle transitions. Such contacts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,050,769 and 4,080,041. Right angle contacts of this type may also be used for individually coupling closely grouped cable terminations as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,430. Terminations of this type include a cable connection portion at one end and a termination portion at the other end and an elongate metal rod connecting the two ends. The rod can be constructed so that the cable connection end and the termination end are disposed at a right angle. The electrical terminal described in the '430 patent requires a complex connection device which attaches to one end of the metal rod for connecting the electrical cable. This arrangement is costly due in part to the additional number of components and the more complex design.
Users of electrical terminals for large size wires/cables have applications where it is necessary to connect several different size wires/cables in a limited space and it is not practical to use a conventional terminal block. Various attempts have been made to solve this problem, but for the most part they have been unsatisfactory. Accordingly, there is a need for a connector that can be used to quickly and easily connect a plurality of large wires/cables in a limited space.